Bed davenport



Patented Feb. 8, 1944 auch UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE a jEDnAvENPoR'r Holger W. Aronson, Snohomish County,l Wash.

Application May 24, 194i, serial N0.'395,o52

12 Claims.

This invention relates to a piece of furniture suitable for use in hotels, apartments, and the like, which is convertible for use either as a davenport or asa bed.

Davenport beds, so-called, have long been'`v and is not available until after a certain amount v of manipulation of the parts of the davenport, and then only after making up the bed from the stored bed clothing.

It has been known to provide beds which can be completely made up, and then stored away within a closet or other recess. Usually such beds fold up into a vertical position to roll away into a closet. v

The first type of davenport bed, in additionmto being clumsy and awkward to manipulate, is not particularly comfortable. Generally, if coill springs are provided, they are merely the bottomy of the seat; sometimes such spring sections 4are piled one upon another, which makes the davenport seat high and not wholly comfortable to sit and relax upon. l A mattressI with modern builtin spring units is too bulky and awkward for inclusion in such a davenport, hence the mattress provided is seldom more than a thin pad, but even.-

such a pad increases the height and decreases the vcomfort of the davenport, and is a makeshift in the bed. All such davenport beds arev clearly identifiable as a compromise, and do not fully satisfy the proper and normal requirements eitherl for a davenport 0r for a bed. The second type, the roll-away bed, furnishes acomfortable bed,'

but requires space for its manipulation` and storage, and when it is not in use as a bed its comfort is not available. If 'during the daytime a davenport is also wanted in the room this mustK occupy other space.

Itis the primary object of the present invention'to provide a piece 'of furniture `which pro` required, needs no manipulation other thanv to be drawn forward, whereupon ythe previouslyA made up bed isiinstantly available. V VIt is a further object to provide such a piece fort from `a normal davenport, is not of unusual height, has. no hard railv tovcatch beneath the kneesV of the occupant, may be provided -with fa rearwardly sloping seat and'with a cordedcover', and which is provided with a thoroughly com; fortable, well padded back. It is also an object,`consideririg the piece 0f furniture as a bed, top rovidel a bed which utilizes la; normal spring unit and'a normal m'atfl tress unit, such as can be purchased commer-J cially, and which' hence can be as thoroughly comfortable as any bed.

It isV also an object to providesuch a' bed davenport which can either be built into'the rooriij or which can be formed as a separate article'offur'- niture, but which in any case has no supportft'o rest upon and roll over a finished or carpetedv floor. If formedY as'a separate article of furni! ture, it would normally have to be so placed that the excess width of the bed could be slidintoa recess which must be provided in the wall. Other objects,'and particularly such as'vhav'e to 4do'witli mechanical details, will appear as'v this' specification progresses. f My invention comprises the novel parts and the novel combination" and arrangement thereof, as shown in the accompanying drawing, de scribedjinl v this specification, and as will be more'Y particu?l larly, defined by the claims which terminate the same.

It will be convenient'toY refer Yto the olavfenport position 0f parts as meaning that position' which they occupy when'suchpart, or 'the device"l asa whole, is made up foruse as a davenpori-v` andsimilarly it will be convenient to refer tof Lthe vAbedf position ofV parts-'as meaningV that por sitlon which they occupy when the vbed is readyE foruse.

- -In the accompanying drawing Ihave shown-4 my invention in a typical form, -it being under-s tion, and in` dash lines in the lbed position.I

' Parts'arebroken away for'vbetter illustration." y

Figure 2 is in part a frontl elevation and 'in Figure 3 is a section'fon' line 3-3 fFigure 2( I.

Simplicity of construction and a min'mumiof:

part

manipulation are among the objectives sought in the present construction. Accordingly the device is made up of three principal parts, namely, end frames 2, which rest upon the floor, joined by longitudinals ZDand 2l (or by reason of the connection of both end frames to the wall 6) into a oor-engaging frame, a bed frame l which is interposed between the end frames 2 and supported from the floor-engaging frame for forward and rearward slidingmovement with relation to the floor-engaging frame, and a back 3. Except for the back, which preferably is hollow for storage of pillows and extra bedding, the detail construction of these three principal parts is largely immaterial.

The end frames 2 are preferably spaced apart about the same distance as the head and foot of a normal bed. The bed frame l is of a size which corresponds to the size of a normal bed, the length, interposed between the end frames 2, being equivalent to the length of a normal commercial spring unit 4 andmattress unit 5, which rest upon the bed frame I. The width of the bed frame may vary as desired, but usually it would be of a width equal to the width of a double bed.

The bed frame has no direct support upon the oor, in any position. It is supported upon the hoor-engaging` frame and between the two end frames 2, for sliding forwardly and rearwardly, as has been described, solely by means which interengage between the bed frame and the floorengaging frame, or more specically in the form shown, between the bedV frame and the end frames; lThe, function oi thisv interengagement is not only to support the retracted bed framev from the floor, and to provide for sliding of the bed frame, but also to support its overhanging forward edge in cantilever fashion, when drawn forwardly into bed position. At the samev Ytime the support for thebed frame can occupy but little verticalheight, for the spring` unitv il` and mattress'unit 5 are each seven inches high, and the height of a normal davenport seat isf. about eighteen inches. Only about four inches isavail'-r able for the bed frame itself and for its "support, inV all" positions, clear of the Hoor. 4

This is conveniently accomplished, however,

byy forming the'end eiemeatsn of tneg'bet f rfame as channels openingoutwardly, and by supporting lat least two spaced rollers 2 l\ in brackets 22 upon the interior of each of the end frames 2, andfclosely 'fitting within, the channelsffljl. These rollers'l form guides'` *for the bed frame anda cantilever support `for the` same whenl the'bed frameiis drawn forwardly. The bed frame I is thus supportedlcloseto theilooig,

as it;must be to avoid too high a davenportseat,

yet it never engages the. iioor. Any such engage,- ment, as by feet depending from the bed frame,

- would mar and. Wear the floor r a rug thereupon,

and can not be permitted,V

vIn installing the device, since the bedis widerr thana normal dayenport,M it will be convenient` to provide a recess 60 in ,the wall, intowhich the excess width of the, bed, may, be pushed. Since, then, thedevicemust beY located, in one fixed position it might well bebuilt inplace, exceptwthat itis more conveniently manufactured as a. complete unitrea,dy; for installation.. It may-be desirable to provide means to. fixv such unit in position with relation to the recess 60. SllQh. means have not beennillustratedherebut are obl/'19115:'.

10 back relative to the mattress.

The back is supported from its iixed support, the brackets 26, for instance, by pairs of links consisting of the long upper link 32 and the shorter angled lower link 33, pivotally connected at their opposite ends, respectively, to the brackets and to the solid ends 3i). The corresponding links 33 are connected each to a spacer sleeve 34, whereby they swing conjointly and avoid cooking and sticking. A longitudinal 21 con- 20 nects the brackets.

The arrangement described is a convenient one, and permits the back tov be shifted from`a generally upright davenportr position to a semiinverted bed position, as shown in dash lines.

25 In the davenport position its lower front edge is at a level to depress the mattress 5, as Vshownin Figure 3, whereas in the bedA position the back is clear of the mattress. In moving the back from thedavenport position to thebed or out-of-the-way position the back is rst raised, swinging both links 321 and 33 upward, tol clear the mattress 5. The upper edge of thebackmay then be tilted forwardgenerally about the axis of the pivotal connections oflinkgsy 32' 35 with the back until it has been rotated` through approximately 90 degrees. By this movement the lower end of link 33'is swung upward so that the links are in crossed position, the pivotalA connections of links 33 with the back being` above and rearward of the pivotalv connections of4 links 32 with the back:

In such rotated position the back is now pushedl rearwardly, whereupon links 32 assume approximately the same positions as theyV did when the` backV was inv davenport position, whereas the lower links 33 are swungv eveny farther upward, andy the portions of these links adjacent their endsattached toV the back are substantially horijzontal, while the other'portions-of such links areA in uprightposition. The` upper andlower linksy thus.V maintain this crossed relationship as long,A as the back is in the bedf or out-of-the-way position. To return the, back to davenportfposition the same. steps areA performed in reversel then the upper edge off the backis rotatedlupward and` backward'untilj the back hasfbeen.` ro tated through` approximately 90. degrees. The back is then moved downward againU tol press against the, mattressv 5.

The purpose of` thus depressingAv the. mattress.. whenthe back is in its davenport positionQisfl to restrain thebedframe I: and the spring` and. mattress units supporteduponv it. from. shifting, forwardly. This depression of themattress servesa further purpose inthat a removable-delvenportA cover l, whichmay be cordedV toy simulate: anormal davenport, may not shift relativeto; the mattress upon Whihit isspread.; Thiscoven may have a forwardfskrt 1,0 which coversin the: front edge of the` mattress. and springunitsandfv theA bedA frame, and; whichhas,elasticA loops. 'H which engage acrossandI beneathtlie. corners` ofv u, the bed frame. to; hold; downI the.- front. skirt .10,

sequence, that, is, Ythe back is pulled forward and.A

Its rear portion extends beneath the back, and may be provided with rearwardly extending cords 'l2 for securement at the rear of bed. By

adjustment of the height of the back as indicated at 25 the back may be caused to depress the mattress and the cover thereon to any extent required. l

It is believed that it will be clear that the bed is or may be at all times completely made up. It is covered by the cover 1, and when slid rearwardly tothe vdavenport position, and with the back lowered, the article is to all appearances a normal davenport. It is normal in -its height, in its appearance, and in its comfort. Whenever required as a bed it is only necessary to shift the back out of the way, to slide the bed forward, andv to remove the cover, and immediately the bed is ready for occupancy.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A convertible davenport bed comprising two end frames spaced apart, longitudinals connecting them to constitute a floor-engaging frame, a bed frame spanning the space between said end frames and of a width to support a normal removable spring unit and mattress unit, considerably wider than the usual davenport seat, all interposed between the end frames, means carried by the bed frame and engaged with complemental means carried by the floor-engaging frame, to guide the bed frame for movement in its own plane, from a rearward davenport position substantially wholly within said end frames to a forward bed position, wherein its forward edge is projected materially forwardly of the end frames, said guiding means constituting a support for the overhanging forward edge of the bed frame in the bed position, a back and means supporting and guiding the same from and for movement relative to the iioor-engaging frame, from a davenport position, extending upwardly from a mattress which rests upon the vbed frame, to an out-of-the-way position, upraised clear of and spaced above such mattress, whereby upon drawing forward said bed frame and mattress unit the entire surface thereof is available as a bed.

2. The combination of claim 1, characterized in that the back, in davenport position, has its lower forward edge at a level to depress the mattress, thereby to restrain sliding movement of the bed frame and units supported thereon.

3. The combination of claim 1, including a removable cover fitting the front edge and top of the bed frame and the units sup-ported thereupon, and extending beneath the back when the back and the bed frame are in davenport position, and characterized in that the lower front edge of the back, in davenport position, is at a level to depress the mattress, thereby restraining shifting of the cover relative to the mattress, or of the bed frame and supported units relative to the end frame.

4. The combination of claim 1, the back supporting and guiding means including brackets upstanding from the rear of each end frame, and

links thereon constituting the support for the back and swngable between generally parallel relationship wherein the back is in davenport position and crossed relationship when the back is in the out-of-the-way position.

5. The combination of claim 1, including brackets upstanding from the rear of each end frame, links thereon constituting the support for the back, and means to adjust said brackets vertically upon the end frames, whereby to adjust the height of the lower edge of the back, in,

"davenport position, relative to the mattress.

6. The combination of claim 1, characterized4 in that the back is hollow, for storage of pillows and extra bedding, and in the inclusion of a pair of links to support the back, at each end, and to guide it for movement from its davenport potween said end frames and of a width consid erably greater than said end frames to supporta removable spring unit and mattress unit considerably wider than the usual davenport seat,

means carried by the end frames and engaging" complemental means carried by the bed frame to guide the latter for edgewise movement between a rearward position wherein the forward edge of the bed frame is disposed substantially flush with the front edges of said end frames, and a forward position wherein the forward edge of the bed frame projects a substantial distancev forward beyond the Afront edges of said end frames, said means constituting, in the forward' position of said bed frame, a cantilever support forthat portion of the bed frame projecting beyond said end frames, and a back resting upon the mattress unit in the rearward position of said bed frame to divide the mattress unit into a forward portion having a width of the usual davenport seat and a rearward portion, and to provide a back rest for such forward portion.

8. A convertible davenport bed comprising.

two end frames spaced apart approximately the spacing of the head and foot of a normal bed, means connecting the two end frames to support them thus spaced, av bed frame spanning the space between said end frames and of a width considerably greater than said end frames to support a removablevspringV unit and mattress unit considerably wider than the usual davenport seat, means carried by the end frames and engaging complemental means carried by the bed frame to guide the latter for edgewise movement between a rearward position wherein the forward edge of the bed frame is disposed substantially flush with the front edges of said end frames, and a forward position wherein the forward edge of the bed frame projects a substantial distance forward beyond the front edges of said end frames, said means constituting, in the forward position of said bed frame, a cantilever support for that portion of the bed frame projecting beyond said end frames, a back resting upon the mattress unit in the rearward position of said bed frame to divide the mattress unit into a forward portion having a width of the usual davenport seat and a rearward portion, and to provide a back rest for such forward portion, and means supported from said end frames and supporting said back for movement between the position resting upon the mattress unit to a position wherein the upper edge of the back is tilted forwardly through a substantial angle and said back is raised to a position above the mattress to remain out of contact therewith during movement of the bed frame between its rearward and its forward position.

9. In a davenport structure including a seat member, a back,y and back supporting means including upper andlower links, each having one end. pivoted to said back and the other ends of said links being xedly pivoted in vertically spaced relationship, said links being swingable to guide the back for movement between a position wherein the back rests upon the seat member of the davenport structure, and a position wherein the upper edge of the back is rotated forwardly and downwardly through a substantial angle.

10. In a davenport structure including a seat member, a back,.and back supporting means including an upper link having one end pivoted to said back and the other end xedly pivoted, a lower link of shorter eifective length having one end pivoted to said back below and rearwardly of the pivotal connection between the upper link and said back and having its upper end pivoted xedly below the iixedly pivoted end of the upper linkfsaid upper and lower links being swingable between generally parallel relationship, wherein the back rests upon the seat member of the davenport structure, and crossed relationship wherein the upper link is in substantially the same position but the pivotal connection between said lower link and said back is disposed above and rearwardly of the pivota1 connection of the upper link with said back, and the upper edge of the back is in a position rotated forwardly and downwardly through an agle of approximately 90 degrees from the position assumed with the upper and lower links in such generally parallel relationship.

11. In a davenport structure including a seat member, a back, and back supporting means including an upper link having one end pivoted to said back and the other end Xedly pivoted, a lower angled link of shorter effective length having one end pivoted to said back below and rearwardly of the pivotal connection between the upper link and said back and having its upper end pivoted lixedly below the fixedly pivoted end of the upper link, saidx upper and lower links being swingable between generally parallel relationship, wherein the back rests upon the seat member of the davenport structure, and crossed' relationship wherein the upper link is in substantially,

the same position but the pivotal connection be-y tween said lower link and said back is disposed.

above and rearwardly of the pivotal connection of the upper link with said back, the portion of said lower link adjacent its pivotal connection 12. In a davenport structure including a seatA member, a back, and back supporting means including two upper links one at each end of the back and each having one end pivoted to said back and the other end fixedly pivoted, two lower angled links of shorter effective length one at each end of the back and each having one end pivoted to said back below and rearwardly of the pivotal connection between the upper link at thev same end of said back and said back having its upper end pivoted fixedly below the xedly pivoted end of the upper link at the same end` of said back, said upper and lower links being swingable between generally parallel relationship, wherein the back rests upon the seat member of the davenport structure, and crossed relationship wherein the upper links are in substantially the same position but the pivotal connection between each lower link and said back is disposed above and" rearwardly of the pivotal connection of the upper link at the same end of said back with said back, the portion of each lower link adjacent its pivotal connection with said back is disposed generally horizontally. and the other portion thereof' is'upright, and the upper edge of the back is in a position rotated forwardly and downwardly through an angle of approximately degrees from the position assumed with the upper and lower links in such generally parallel relationship, and means joining the upper links and joining the lower links at opposite ends of the back for conjoint swinging of all said' links.

HOLGER W. ARONSON. 

